NUFA Releases Press Release

MEDIA RELEASE
October 30, 2009


Nipissing Faculty Bargaining to Reach the “Ontario Standard” and
Maintain Quality of Education for Students

The Nipissing University administration and the Nipissing Faculty
Association (NUFA) have been engaged in contract talks for 247 days.
NUFA represents all 178 of the university’s full-time professors who
are bargaining to make certain that the quality education implied by
Nipissing’s motto “one student at a time” continues to be realized.
The professors' contract expired on April 30, 2009.

NUFA is bargaining for an academic workload that ensures
student-centred teaching and research is maintained at Nipissing.

NUFA is also working to establish a working environment conducive to
recruiting and retaining qualified faculty who will help make
Nipissing University a top-notch small university and will invest in
the North Bay community.

NUFA is bargaining for reasonable limits on the accelerating
casualization of the professoriate as too many professors are on
limited-term and part-time contracts. This creates instability and
inhibits investment in the university and the North Bay community.

Finally, NUFA is bargaining for a working environment that reflects
the “Ontario Standard” when compared to other universities in the
province. Currently, Nipissing professors are far behind their
counterparts and losing ground at an alarming rate.

This week the NUFA Executive received an overwhelming strike mandate
from its Membership, obtaining 95.8% support. The NUFA Executive
realizes that a labour disruption would have significant implications
for students and the entire North Bay community. Indeed, professors’
primary desire is always to be in the classroom working with students.
However, negotiations cannot continue indefinitely. The Association
and the University will be in a strike/lockout position by Monday,
November 9th but the Association has made no final decision regarding
a deadline for negotiations.

Talks continue this weekend and will hopefully continue until a deal
is reached. Let’s make it happen.

If you have any further questions please contact Todd Horton,
President of NUFA via email at NUFA-Ontario-Standard@hotmail.com or by
telephone at 705-474-3461 ext. 4499.

NUFA votes in favour of strike action

The ballots have been counted and the members of the faculty at Nipissing University who are a part of NUFA have voted overwhelmingly in favour of strike action.

Approximately 94% of members who cast their ballot have voted in favour of strike action, if necessary. This gives the bargaining unit a strong position as they continue to bargain.

It is not known when this strike action could occur or if a lockout would be initiated by Nipissing University administration.

NUFA remains positive that an agreement can be reached.

In my previous post yesterday, I indicated that negotiation meetings have not been occurring. However, over the past week the bargaining units for both NUFA and the administration have been meeting. However, there has not been much success made, as it seems.

I have pulled public information from the NUFA website that is linked to this blog site. Last night I received an e-mail from Larry Patriquin who is a professor in the School of Social Development and Family Studies area in the Faculty of Applied and Professional Studies. Patriquin is also the Chief Negotiator for FASBU, the collective bargaining unit for NUFA. He indicated to me that I had some information incorrect in my last post and I am working on rectifying this situation. However, he indicated that both sides have not agreed to negotiate in public. These secret negotiations conveniently leave students in the dark regarding what is happening regarding a potential strike. Patriquin did indicate to me that the sides will be meeting this Sunday and NUFA is confident that a deal can be reached. I guess we will have to see what happens.

I'll keep you up to date with new information that I learn about

Nipissing University Faculty Vote Overwhelmingly in Favour of Strike Action

Today was the last day for members of the Nipissing University Faculty Association (NUFA) to vote whether or not to take strike action against the administration of the university.

Although the vote has not been formally tallied or announced, it appears that the faculty is overwhelmingly in favour of strike action.  If it comes to that.

Bargaining has been ongoing for the past year or so prior to the summer.  Although many issues have been negotiated and settled, there are still some that the university administration have not budged on.

Some issues include the appointment of professors to limited term positions.  The faculty is arguing that this should only be done as a temporary measure if a need arises.  However, the university administration would like to see these appointments more common place.   What does this mean?  Essentially, budget savings for the administration and the ability to move professors around more freely for teaching and lecturing.  The faculty sees this rejection as a widespread cause for instability among the faculty where more professors would be juggled in limited term appointments rather than more stable positions.

In terms of workload, the faculty would like to have more autonomy regarding what they deem to be professional activities related to their research or scholarship along with a provision that ensures that faculty members can reject teaching assignments that are outside of their area of expertise.

Financial compensation is also a big issue as usually is in collective bargaining.  The faculty is looking for financial pay increments of 4.9% this year followed by 4.2% in each of the next two years.  The faculty is also seeking increased course overload compensation to the tune of $150 per course for each of the next three years.  This would result in $5,300 by July 2011 for each 3 credit course assigned in a course overload situation.

Finally, among many other issues, is the one of compensation for chairs of departments.  Right now, chairs have very little secretarial support in their departments that they oversee.  This results in a massive workload increase that is associated with the tasks of being a chair.  So, the faculty is proposing a full 6 credit course release or the equivalent in research grant funding or stipends.

Currently, the administration has halted all talks and bargaining discussions with the faculty.  It is not known when they will meet next, but it could be as early as the start of November.  Therefore, it is expected that NUFA will make an announcement regarding support of strike action as early as today.

But, where does this leave the students?  Will Nipissing University leave students in the dark just like York University did last year with the strike action boondoggle that happened there?  So far, I have not heard of any contingency plans from the administration side including refunds/credits for tuition paid and time lost.  This, of course, is not surprising in the very least.